What should I use to clean bare plastic?

I use paper towels and Testor's plastic prep. I always follow with a tack cloth in case any lint or dust got left behind.

Hey Chris, Although a paper towel or Q-tip will work fine I would suggest a clean cotton rag like an old t-shirt or something of that nature. Also, alcohol will work fine for cleaning the plastic but, like Nathan, I use plastic prep. Tack cloth is indeed a useful tool to have on the bench. It can usually be found in the sandpaper/ sanding section at your local hardware store and is relatively inexpensive. Use the tack cloth first as it removes the larger sanding debris but, can also leave behind a waxy residue. Then wipe everything down with the alcohol. I hope this helps you out.

                                                                      Joe

I also use paper towels. I have tried Kleenex, but it leaves more fine fibers on the surface so I prefer the paper towel stuff.

Oh- I also should have mentioned- in the winter, wiping plastic with a paper towel or rag can generate a strong electric charge that attracts dust like crazy.  Keep the rag/towel moist. If it goes dry you'll have an excellent static generating machine!

Yeah, that's part of the problem. I just dusted it off a bit yesterday with a large paintbrush, and even that built up a static charge on it. I'm tempted to clip a wire to the ground wire on an outlet that's close and clip the other end to the plane to give that static somewhere to go :)

Problem is, plastic is such a good insulator (particularly styrene) that electrically grounding a sheet with a wire only neutralizes the area right around the wire. I suppose you could wipe a grounded piece of steel wool around the sheet :-(

Hey, you old timers like me- remember the stuff they used to sell to clean your vinyl records? I wonder if that stuff would work.  But then, where in the heck would you find it today.  Seems to me they also sold some brushes that had a mild radioactive material in the brush.  That was to provide ions in the air that would prevent a static buildup.  As long as you didn't eat the brush it should be safe.  Maybe there are some of those brushes around. I know a few folks into vinyl records- I'll have to ask them.

I still use a gizmo called a Zero-Stat.  A pistol-shaped device with a squeeze trigger, It was originally designed to discharge static from vinyl records.  It will work but I wonder where one might find one of those today?  Might look on Ebay, or even do a Google search.

Gary

Texgunner

I still use a gizmo called a Zero-Stat.  A pistol-shaped device with a squeeze trigger, It was originally designed to discharge static from vinyl records.  It will work but I wonder where one might find one of those today?  Might look on Ebay, or even do a Google search.

Gary

Yep. Kinda pricey though...here ya go;

http://compare.ebay.com/like/251224493023?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

WOW! I still have one of those in my old darkroom equipment somewhere (They were also used to remove dust from film negatives). Think I'll dig it out, sell it on Ebay and, at those prices I can buy a new kit.

The problem with zero-stat & static master type units is that they have an alpha radiation source that degrades over time, and needs replacement (it's several years, but it still has a half life.  They also tend to be quite expensive.

Alcohol & compressed air are the two things I use.  There are lint free shop wipes out there too.

www.amazon.com/.../B0001M6K24

Reid

After the cleaning and before the final finish I've found the plastic boxes\containers found at Walmart make for excellent storage to keep the dust off. Just make sure they are dry before you put them in. I also keep one of those silica gel packs in each box to absorb any water. I suppose you could also drill a hole for moisture to find a way out but that will also allow dust to find a way in.

I have had nothing but good results washing my plastics in good old Dawn dish soap with warm water, right in the kitchen sink. Rinse it really well, let 'er drip dry. Works like a charm for me............

Another resurrected thread.